Neoperla similiflavescens Li & Zhang

Li, Wei-Hai & Zhang, Sheng-Quan, 2014, Two new species of Neoperla (Plecoptera, Perlidae) from Dabie Mountains of China, ZooKeys 438, pp. 45-55 : 46-48

Taxon classification Animalia Plecoptera Perlidae

Neoperla similiflavescens Li & Zhang sp. n. Figs 3-4

Type material.

Holotype. male (HIST), China: Henan Province, Xinyang City, Xin County, Liankangshan National Nature Reserve, Laomiao Protection station, 31°64,39'N, 114°87,95'E, light trap, 15 June 2014, W.H. Li.

Male.

Forewing length 13.9 mm. Distance between ocelli barely as wide as diameter of the ocellus. Head slightly wider than pronotum, mostly yellow brown, lateral margins and occiput behind compound eyes pale, a triangular dark area covering ocelli, a dark spot in front of M-line and U-shaped brownish spot between M-line and ocellus, M-line pale; antennae brown to dark brown, scape darker; compound eyes black; mouthparts brown (Fig. 3a). Pronotum brownish with wide darker median stripe and scattered markings of rugosities, legs brown; wings pale brown with dark vein. Abdomen brownish.

Terminalia. Tergum 7 with trapezoidal median process at posterior margin, covered by numerous tiny sensilla basiconica, anterior and lateral margins forming elevated figau but with posteromedian concativity in which process of tergum 8 lies. Sclerotized process of tergum 8 recurved backward and triangular in shape. Tergum 9 with two submedial patches of long hairs. Hemitergal processes of tergum 10 strongly sclerotized and straight (Figs 3b and c). Aedeagus heavily sclerotized, subapical ventral projection triangular in lateral view and gradually tapering to a triangular tip (Figs 3d, 4a and b).

Female.

Unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the similarity to Neoperla flavescens Chu, 1929.

Distribution.

China (Henan Province).

Diagnosis and remarks.

The new species may be assigned to the Neoperla montivaga species group as defined by Zwick (1983), because of the incomplete sclerotization of the aedeagal tube in ventral aspect (Fig. 4a). The new species seems closely related to Neoperla flavescens Chu originally known from Zhejiang Province, and recently also found from several provinces (Henan, Fujian and Shanxi) of China ( Li et al. 2011a, Li et al. 2014). They are similar in general features of male terminalia and the aedeagal tube. However, the new species can be easily separated from Neoperla flavescens Chu by the shape of ventral projection of aedeagal tube. The projection in Neoperla similiflavescens is generally triangular in lateral view and tapers to a triangular tip (Fig. 3d) whereas it is generally finger-like and abruptly constricted subapically in a nipple-like tip in Neoperla flavescens (Figs 4d & 5 in Li et al. 2011a). Their general body color and head pattern also differ to some degree: Neoperla similiflavescens is generally brownish in color and spots on frons are well defined and small (Fig. 3a) while in Neoperla flavescens , the general body color is brown and darker, the spots on frons are larger and obscure (Fig. 4c, Fig. 1 in Li et al. 2011a, Fig. 1a in Li et al. 2014a).